Shubman Gill organizes personal training session ahead of New Zealand tour

In the fourth T20 match between India and West Indies, held in Hyderabad on Wednesday (October 14), the bowling tactics of West Indies bowler Shamir Joseph caused significant controversy. West Indies won the match by 24 runs, leveling the series at 2-2.

Sriwats Goswami, a former cricketer from Bengal, expressed dissatisfaction with Joseph's actions in the final over against Arshdeep Singh. He stated that instead of targeting Arshdeep Singh's body, Joseph should have bowled to the stumps, especially when India's chances of winning were virtually gone.

India needed to score 35 runs in the last over while having only one remaining batting wicket. Arshdeep Singh was batting, and Maink Yadav was at the opposite end. Under these conditions, a West Indies victory was considered highly probable. Shamir Joseph used short balls against Arshdeep in this over; one such delivery hit the Indian fast bowler's shoulder and arm, causing Arshdeep to fall on the field and requiring a physiotherapist.

After a short break, Arshdeep Singh resumed play, but Joseph continued to use short deliveries. Following this, India's captain, Shreyas Iyer, indicated that Arshdeep should be declared injured, thus ending the Indian innings. Goswami reiterated his indignation regarding Joseph's conduct, writing: 'What Shamir Joseph did on the last three balls against Arshdeep contradicts the spirit of sportsmanship.'

Sriwats Goswami acknowledged that international cricket is an extremely competitive sport, but in his opinion, the bowler always had another option in such a situation. He emphasized that Joseph could have bowled to the stumps instead of constantly aiming short balls at the batsman's body. His comments drew attention to Joseph's strategy in the final over, although this remains Goswami's personal opinion.

Overall, West Indies, having lost the toss and batting first, scored 247 runs, losing three wickets. In response, the Indian team managed to reach 223 runs but ultimately lost the match by 24 runs. This victory allowed the visiting team to level the series at 2-2. Shamir Joseph is known for his fast bowling and regularly bowls at speeds exceeding 140 kilometers per hour.

A video showing Indian national team captain Shubman Gill being surprised by a reporter's question is spreading actively on social media after the conclusion of the one-day series against the West Indies.

After the completion of the ODI series against the West Indies, the media posed several questions to Shubman Gill regarding the upcoming T20 series. This series is scheduled for October 6th, Tuesday.

During the conversation following the end of the ODI series, Gill first expressed joy over the gold medal won by the Indian team at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan and congratulated the entire squad.

However, the conversation took an unexpected turn when one of the reporters asked Gill about the T20 series tactics against the West Indies. Gill appeared slightly embarrassed and surprised by this sudden question.

He unusually reminded the reporter in a unique way, saying: 'I am not in the team.' This natural and candid response from Shubman Gill quickly went viral on social media. It should be noted that although Gill captains the Indian team in Test and ODI formats, he is not part of the T20 team.

In the five-match T20 series against the West Indies, Shreyas Iyer will lead the team, who also captained the team that won gold at the Asian Games.

Experienced all-rounder from New Zealand, Michael Breswell, has decided to step away from the central contract for the 2026-27 season. However, Breswell is not completely distancing himself from the New Zealand team; he will remain available on a casual playing contract and participate in the upcoming white-ball series against India.

This move was made by Michael Breswell to participate in the Australian domestic T20 league, the Big Bash League (BBL). New Zealand cricket supported his decision. The 35-year-old Breswell has already played 105 international matches for New Zealand.

Despite leaving the central contract, Michael Breswell emphasized that his commitment to New Zealand remains unchanged. He is ready to participate in the forthcoming white-ball series against India.

Michael Breswell stated that the support from New Zealand cricket is very important to him at this stage of his career. He noted that the opportunity to play as a white-ball player was a chance he found difficult to pass up. He confirmed his full dedication to the 'Black Caps' and expressed enthusiasm about participating in the upcoming series against India and future white-ball matches.

Nick Kelly, a left-handed batter, has been included in place of Michael Breswell in the central contract list. The 33-year-old Kelly received his first full contract in his career. He was awarded recognition for consistently outstanding performance in domestic competitions over the last few seasons.

New Zealand coach Rob Walter highly praised Nick Kelly. Walter noted that Kelly is among the best players in domestic competitions over many seasons and earned this contract through his perseverance. He also added that sometimes a later emergence in international cricket can be beneficial for a player, as they better understand their game and can rely on themselves under pressure.

Michael Breswell is not the first New Zealand player to opt out of a central contract to play in a foreign league. Last month, Mark Chapman also opted for a casual playing contract for the 2026-27 season. Finn Allen, Loki Ferguson, Adam Milne, and Tim Seifert have previously utilized this system. This indicates that New Zealand players are now prioritizing the opportunity to play in overseas domestic leagues alongside international cricket.

The list of New Zealand players included in the central contract comprises: Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Jack Foulkes, Mitchell Hayes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Nick Kelly, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, and Will Young.